RE : second-hand ownership

[<jean.claude.guedon@umontreal.ca>]

There is another take on all of this.

The handwritten text is in the public domain, becquse of its age. 
However, the text is unique since it is a unique manuscript.

By allowing a copy, the library actually offers to separate the 
text from the paper to put it on some other piece of paper. But 
its sole claim to prtoperty is on the paper, not the text. Only 
by controlling access to the paper can the library exact a fee 
for copying. But once it is copied, the new piece of paper does 
not belong to them unless they specified by contract that they 
only lease the paper).

Ergo, it would seem you can do whatever you want with the library.

This said, it would be courteous to check with them and then 
decide what to do depending on their response.

I am no lawyer but had some similar discussions once with people 
trying to publish some manuscripts whose content was in the 
public domain because of its age.

Jean-Claude Guedon